Eberle nets two as Oilers top Panthers

Jordan Eberle scored twice, while David Perron and Sam Gagner each scored for
the Oilers, who won their season-high third in a row. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had
three assists in the win.

"Our confidence is high, we want to keep that going but also understand that
we have higher aspirations than the game that we played today," said Edmonton
head coach Dallas Eakins. "We can play better than we played today."

Scottie Upshall had the lone goal for the Panthers, who had won three of four
coming in. Tim Thomas allowed three goals on 34 shots in the loss.

"The key was the energy. We didn't have any. That's the key," said Florida
head coach Peter Horachek. "If your energy is better, if you come out with a
workman attitude, I think that everything improves."

Edmonton wasted no time going on top, scoring a power-play goal 57 seconds in
thanks to Eberle's tap-in of a rebound from the left side of the net.

The score stayed that way until 6:10 of the second period, when the Oilers
made it a 2-0 game after Nail Yakupov sent a pass from the left wing to the
right where Gagner wristed it home for his first of the season.

Skating on the power play, Edmonton made it a 3-0 game thanks to Perron's one-
timer from the left circle that made it past Thomas' glove at 10:54.

Upshall scored on a snap shot with 3:26 to play in the middle stanza to make
it a 3-1 game going into the third.

Dubnyk needed to make just six stops in the third, and Eberle sealed the win
on an empty-netter with 1:11 to play.

Game Notes

Edmonton hosts Chicago on Monday ... Florida plays in Calgary on Friday ...
Edmonton has won five straight and nine of 10 over Florida ... Edmonton went
2-for-5 on the power play, while Florida was 0-for-5.